The Dallas Cowboys have traded offensive tackle Nate Thomas to the Houston Texans in exchange for a seventh-round selection in the 2027 NFL Draft, according to reports from DallasCowboys.com. The deal finalized on cutdown day as the Cowboys shaped their initial 53-man roster for the upcoming season.
Roster Finalization and Draft Compensation
According to reports from DallasCowboys.com, the transaction returns the exact draft capital the Cowboys originally used to select Thomas. The 25-year-old offensive lineman was picked out of Louisiana in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft. After spending his entire rookie campaign on the reserve/injured list, Thomas appeared in all 17 games during the subsequent season, serving primarily in depth roles along the offensive line.
Addressing the Swing Tackle Depth
Guyton secured the starting role early in camp, pushing Thomas into a projected swing tackle assignment. With the acquisition of Pittsburgh Steelers tackle Broderick Jones via trade a day prior, the Cowboys opted to deal Thomas to Houston, where he is expected to fill a similar backup tackle capacity.
Simultaneous Roster Adjustments in Dallas
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer noted that Liufau suffered a broken arm during the final preseason game, requiring surgery that will sideline him for several weeks, while Moore deals with a hip ailment. These transactions marked Dallas’s first two designated-to-return designations of the league-allowed eight spots for the season.
Quarterback Depth and Camp Standouts
The franchise also finalized decisions regarding its backup quarterback room and wider roster cutdowns. Quarterbacks Joe Milton III and Sam Howell both secured spots on the initial 53-man roster behind starter Dak Prescott, leaving the official QB2 hierarchy technically unresolved two weeks ahead of opening day. Speaking after the preseason finale against the New Orleans Saints, owner and general manager Jerry Jones acknowledged the positive performances from both signal-callers, stating that the priority for a backup is avoiding costly mistakes.
Elsewhere on the roster wire, the Cowboys released guard Shiyazh Pete, who had drawn considerable attention during camp as the first Navajo player to sign with an NFL team, while undrafted wide receiver Camden Brown earned a spot on the 53-man roster following a standout preseason performance featuring multiple highlight-reel touchdowns.
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